It's Official: The Scion Brand Is Dead
Toyota has announced today that the Scion brand is no more. The Japanese auto giant first launched it in 2003 with the aim of attracting younger buyers in the North American market, and it seemed to have worked - the brand has the youngest average buyer age (36) in the car industry, apparently. Regardless, Toyota has seen fit to kill off Scion.
The tC (below) will die with the brand, ending production in August 2016, while the remaining models - the FR-S, iA and iM - will be sold as Toyotas from the 2017 model year onwards. The incoming Scion C-HR will also be getting a Toyota badge.
The 22-strong team of dedicated Scion employees will all be offered new jobs at Toyota USA, while servicing and repairs for Scion vehicles will continue with Toyota dealerships as normal. Meanwhile, people from the rest of the world are still looking at the top image thinking “what’s that weird badge on the front of that GT86?”
UPDATE: Toyota USA has since confirmed to us that the FR-S model name will still be used after the Scion brand is discontinued.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
I see every scion Craigslist ad headline now. “RARE! Scion GTS no longer made!” $20,000
Buy an FR-S now. Trust me it will be worth more later.
Its mission, what happened throughout its life and ultimately its fate. I can’t help but think that I’ve seen this happen before…
You’re absolutely right
The TC is awesome though. Why discontinue the most popular car besides the FRS.
Toyota FR-S? Why not just call it the GT86 like the rest of the world?
That’s what is likely going to happen.
I guess they didnt sell enough toasters :(
Tally of USDM brands dead in my lifetime:
Oldsmobile
Saturn
Hummer
Pontiac
Saab
Suzuki
Isuzu passenger
Mercury
Plymouth
Scion
VS ones gained:
Fiat
Alfa Romeo
Mini
The list keeps shrinking…
USDM brands gone: 10 F*cks given: 0
WE AMERICANS WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO CALL IT THE GT86
Thank you!
yap yap yap yap!
Soooo… Does that mean FR-Ss will be even cheaper to buy now??? One can hope
If i had the Money i would’ve Bought an FRS now and kept it for ages and sold it in year 3000 for 999999999999999999$